That children under 5 shouldn't count as a guest for a wedding?

[WithLotsOfSprinkles0]

The government have announced that children under 5 dont longer count as a person to stop isolation.

Parent and child groups can continue where they provide support to parent and/or child, and children under 5 will not be counted within the 15 person limit - meaning parents and carers can attend such groups in larger numbers.

^^copied and pasted fromGov.uk

Surely then this would mean children under 5 shouldn't be counted as a guest at a wedding of 15 guests?

Well a wedding doesn't provide support for the parent or child, so no.

Define support for parent and child?
At which groups then support for parent and child?

People will be providing childcare support for the bridal party who will be at the altar?

Baby groups that specifically exist to provide support - they are trying to provide such support to as many people as possible. It's like, to me, saying up to 10 adults in our local food bank at one time, not including children.

15 people plus 2 toddlers exposes 17 people rather than 15 for no good reason.

Baby group and toddler groups? The same baby and toddler groups that have been closed all through lockdown?
Theres not one open in my area so why would the government apply this rule for groups that aren't even open?

@WithLotsOfSprinkles0

Define support for parent and child? At which groups then support for parent and child?

People will be providing childcare support for the bridal party who will be at the altar?

Breastfeeding support groups? HV clinic slots at the children's centre? One near me is for single mums who have had, shall we say, a hard time with the baby's dad. We also have weaning groups.

And if you're going to talk about "lockdown" i.e. England, weddings are banned under lockdown.

I think its about ambiguous myself but okay.

So in a group of 15 under children dont count at breast feeding group cos the extra children aren't putting anyone at risk when playing around and touching things but at a wedding of 15 they count as an extra person when sat down at a table and bring unnecessary risk ?

Makes perfect sense. I know I was going to get sensible people to answer this on AIBU

And no not under lockdown. In February time

Give an inch and people want to take a mile.

@WithLotsOfSprinkles0

Baby group and toddler groups? The same baby and toddler groups that have been closed all through lockdown? Theres not one open in my area so why would the government apply this rule for groups that aren't even open?

Because it means some can be opened which is a massive help to those who need the support.

Weddings are a completely different issue and if someone decides to get married at the moment (although except for exceptional circumstances not allowed during this lockdown) then they need to accept that numbers will be very limited. If they don’t want to do it that way they can wait

You're the one who brought up lockdown and baby groups being closed!

Do you really genuinely think a baby being at a wedding is as necessary as a baby being at a baby group?!

@WithLotsOfSprinkles0

And no not under lockdown. In February time

Anything could happen between now and February. Best waiting until much nearer to try to finalise any plans for numbers etc

Go start a petition or something then 💁🏻‍♀️

Surely this is a joke...

@Gcgjiut

Surely this is a joke...

I mean I hope so. I would have thought it fairly obvious that catering to up to 15 parents, even if they have twins or need to bring an older toddler and a newborn to a PND support group, makes sense. Maybe not.

A wedding isn’t a support group. It would be pretty mad to draw equivalence.

It’s the same as the “but if schools can open why can’t my gym” or whatever.

We’re reducing risk by suppressing the virus, and some things are deemed more vital to society than others.

Weddings and under-5s attending them aren’t deemed vital.

For example OP, an acquaintance of mine has become a new Mum during the pandemic in an area far from family and friends. She has joined a group where (socially distanced and outdoors) she can get together with others in the same boat for a chat and some support while they have a weekly walk around a local park. This change means they now don't have to exclude people who want/need the company based on numbers, whereas before 5 mums each with 2 kids would be the limit, and if anyone had 3 kids then another adult would have to be excluded and so on.

Guests at a wedding are not the same thing at all.

The only joke is our government setting this ridiculous contradictive rules.

Having children seated at a wedding with their family and support bubble is far less risk than having them running around a support group or at nursery mixing and touching strangers from different households.

If that's the rules then so be it

Of course because the children at the wedding wouldn’t want to run off and say hi to uncle, give Nan a hug, snuggle out great aunts knee. They would be sat like little angels - sounds great fun for the kids!

FYI I wont be looking at any replies, I've had enough of this bull shit rules.

Enjoy your evening everyone

@WithLotsOfSprinkles0

Baby group and toddler groups? The same baby and toddler groups that have been closed all through lockdown? Theres not one open in my area so why would the government apply this rule for groups that aren't even open?

some baby and toddler groups reopened post the March lockdown. Some are therefore continuing under the new regs.

Weddings would not be occasions where it could be argued a) that it is a parent and child group - it is a wedding b) that support is being provided - it is a wedding.

@WithLotsOfSprinkles0

The only joke is our government setting this ridiculous contradictive rules.

Having children seated at a wedding with their family and support bubble is far less risk than having them running around a support group or at nursery mixing and touching strangers from different households.

If that's the rules then so be it

Such groups have to be Covid safe. Kids and their carer have to be socially distanced too. They shouldn't be mixing and touching. Equipment is sanitised and usually the kids will have their own sanitised items, re-sanitised between groups

Let's bear in mind too that often kids groups are both organised and run by the same people that attend, or in the case of some maybe a single support worker or healthcare worker and that person needn't come into close contact with any of the attendees, regardless of their age.

No additional people (serving staff at a wedding for example) are being put at risk by the larger numbers.

Unfortunately there will always be people who refuse to understand even when things are explained to them.

YABU

the rules are not just about the risk of spreading covid but about the risk to people if they can’t do certain things.

Clothes shops are not really riskier than supermarkets. But you can’t close supermarkets because people need food and essentials. Schools are ideal transmission settings but kids need education.

Without mum and baby groups, new mums will be isolated and issues like PND easier to miss. But there’s really no major negative impact on not having small children as extra uncounted guests at a wedding. If you want them there fine but they count within the 15.